3. Many times, we take the conversation away from others and make it our own. This practice not only wastes time, but is a major relationship killer. Here is how it works: At the beginning of the conversation, you tell the other person about a problem you are dealing with, and, before you finish the story, the other person says, “I know what you mean,” and then describes a personal experience that may or may not have anything to do with your problem.

Once the other person takes over the conversation, a valuable exchange of ideas is probably lost. During the next week, monitor your conversations with friends, family members, and coworkers. How often did the other person attempt to take the conversation away from you? How often did you attempt to take over the conversation?